Parking light issues

moehni · Oct 24, 2023

Getting more and more used to the functions or missing functions of my Grenadier I wanted to park on a completely dark road. If my fading memory is correct, in germany you have to switch your parking lights on in a situation like this. It is a matter of road-safety. I tried this with the Grenadier, but when I switched of the Ignition there is no possibility to turn on the exterior lights. The coming home/leaving home function only lasts several seconds. If I try to set the indicators, nothing happens. In my last cars this procedure activated the parking light for the chosen side. I did not find anything in the forums for this topic, so excuse me if I overread something. I guess the dealer will argue with the software-update. But I thought I heard (before ordering) the promise that we can fix everything with a wire and a paracord even in the remotest jungle, because of less electronical devices and more mechanics. But now almost every malfunction will be solved with an software update?
Please tell me your experience with the parking lights. Thank you!!

Michael H. · Oct 24, 2023

I can confirm that with my Grenadier, which has not received the software update, it is not possible to have the parking lights on when parked.

bigleonski · Oct 24, 2023

Michael H. said:
I can confirm that with my Grenadier, which has not received the software update, it is not possible to have the parking lights on when parked.

Well, we better start calling them something else then huh

DaveB · Oct 24, 2023

bigleonski said:
Well, we better start calling them something else then huh

They have been called daytime running lights for years.
I can't recall ever leaving parking lights on when my car was parked.

bigleonski · Oct 24, 2023

DaveB said:
They have been called daytime running lights for years.
I can't recall ever leaving parking lights on when my car was parked.

I have on the odd occasion I’ve had to pull up somewhere that’s dark and potentially unsafe like the side of a track on Fraser I’ve needed to walk away from the car for a bit or whatever, but yes, becoming redundant.

Given the IG’s daytime running lights are so large it’s akin to leaving your lights on anyway.

Michael H. · Oct 24, 2023

There is a difference between parking lights and DRLs, and the parking lights do not work as they should.

Krabby · Oct 24, 2023

DaveB said:
They have been called daytime running lights for years.
I can't recall ever leaving parking lights on when my car was parked.

I have never understood the point of them. If my car is parked and I’m in it I need lights for others’ safety? But when my car is parked and I’m not in it, there’s no need?

DaveB · Oct 24, 2023

Krabby said:
I have never understood the point of them. If my car is parked and I’m in it I need lights for others’ safety? But when my car is parked and I’m not in it, there’s no need?

Whenever driving on country roads in the daytime it was good practice to turn you headlights on so other cars can see you easily.
Particularly in dark or coloured vehicles that match the surroundings.
Daytime running lights now perform the same job, almost.
I don't understand why you would need to leave a parking light on at night because the other vehicle that is driving should have it's headlights on.

Krabby · Oct 24, 2023

DaveB said:
Whenever driving on country roads in the daytime it was good practice to turn you headlights on so other cars can see you easily.
Particularly in dark or coloured vehicles that match the surroundings.
Daytime running lights now perform the same job, almost.
I don't understand why you would need to leave a parking light on at night because the other vehicle that is driving should have it's headlights on.

Exactly.

Just read this from Jalopnik

DaveB · Oct 24, 2023

Michael H. said:
There is a difference between parking lights and DRLs, and the parking lights do not work as they should.

View attachment 7830663

I haven't seen any parking lamps on the Grenadier.
There are the daytime running lights/turn indicators around the headlights that are on whenever your headlights are off.
They turn from white to amber.
But I never considered them to be parking lights.
No mention of parking lights on the specifications.

Michael H. · Oct 24, 2023

DaveB said:
I haven't seen any parking lamps on the Grenadier.
There are the daytime running lights/turn indicators around the headlights that are on whenever your headlights are off.
They turn from white to amber.
But I never considered them to be parking lights.
No mention of parking lights on the specifications.

View attachment 7830679 View attachment 7830680

There’s no mention on the spec sheet of brake lights, but the Grenadier has them too.

The parking light function uses the tail lights in conjunction with the DRL rings at a lower brightness level.

The point that @moehni made in his original post is that they should operate without the ignition on, and they don’t.

DaveB · Oct 24, 2023

Michael H. said:
There’s no mention on the spec sheet of brake lights, but the Grenadier has them too.

The parking light function uses the tail lights in conjunction with the DRL rings at a lower brightness level.

The point that @moehni made in his original post is that they should operate without the ignition on, and they don’t.

In my previous Mercedes the parking lamps could be left on via the headlamp dial, but only left side or right side, not both.
It only worked if the key was out of the ignition before turning them on.
You couldn't leave the whole lot on at once.
Never used it here.
I was told this was to meet european rules.
I would have thought Grenadier would need something similar in Europe but not in Australia.

Michael H. · Oct 25, 2023

DaveB said:
In my previous Mercedes the parking lamps could be left on via the headlamp dial, but only left side or right side, not both.
It only worked if the key was out of the ignition before turning them on.
You couldn't leave the whole lot on at once.
Never used it here.
I was told this was to meet european rules.
I would have thought Grenadier would need something similar in Europe but not in Australia.

In Australia, parking lights are required under ADR 13 and ADR 86, but I don’t think the regulations mention whether they need to operate with the ignition off, just when the vehicle is stationary.

James · Oct 25, 2023

DaveB said:
Whenever driving on country roads in the daytime it was good practice to turn you headlights on so other cars can see you easily.
Particularly in dark or coloured vehicles that match the surroundings.
Daytime running lights now perform the same job, almost.
I don't understand why you would need to leave a parking light on at night because the other vehicle that is driving should have it's headlights on.

It’s always been a europe thing. Might be relevant that you are allowed to park on the wrong side of the road in many countries, so leaving a parking light (single) on the traffic side, especially in dark and narrow streets, helps all road users.
headlights are better at picking out reflectors on the rear of a car. They never seem to be relevant in australia.

YIPPE · Oct 25, 2023

Another interesting thing I noticed, that I thought would be an Australian law. Is with doors open, spare tyre blocks the right taillight. And neither door has a reflector on it.
Doesn't bother me but it is interesting and I'm sure will change on future models. Some thing's just work their way through.

Mick · Oct 25, 2023

One my old L322 you put the turn signal (can not remember left or right) then turn the ignition off and that left the right hand park lights on after you left the car.

bemax · Oct 25, 2023

Sometimes I have to wonder how fixated the thoughts can be.
„I can’t see that a parking light might make sense in special circumstances, so it’s not necessary…“
I hardly used parking lights as a car parked at the side of a street normally should be visible for other drivers.
But there can be circumstances (bends, external lights that blind other drivers, parking in places where normally nobody parks, narrow streets,…) where it is helpful. And if only to help others to avoid crashing in my car what should normally not happen if they wouldn’t be distracted, tired, illl,…
Where’s the point in arguing here about the needs for them?

Tazzieman · Oct 25, 2023

In my 80s Porsche 944 (and previous 924) even though they were RHD Australian cars , the indicator light when turned either side with the ignition off would turn on the ipsilateral parking light. A safety feature designed for narrow foggy Euro streets.
Accidentally I even left them on overnight ; no flat battery.
Sadly, modern cars have no battery endurance. Even with LED lights it seems.
Therefore it's no longer a "safety feature" if you can't start your car and get it off that narrow foggy road...

AWo · Oct 25, 2023

The parking lights, which are only legal in Germany when they are used outside of villages are the fibres as the Daytime Running Light but they are not as bright. They get dimmed.

Ignition on = DRL on, bright
Switch on parking light = DRL gets dimmed and becomes parking light
Switch on low beam = no change, parking lights are still parking lights, low beam is added

AWo

Mohs 9 · Oct 25, 2023

AWo said:
The parking lights, which are only legal in Germany when they are used outside of villages

That's not true.
§17 STVO:
Haltende Fahrzeuge sind außerhalb geschlossener Ortschaften mit eigener Lichtquelle zu beleuchten. Innerhalb geschlossener Ortschaften genügt es, nur die der Fahrbahn zugewandte Fahrzeugseite durch Parkleuchten oder auf andere zugelassene Weise kenntlich zu machen; eigene Beleuchtung ist entbehrlich, wenn die Straßenbeleuchtung das Fahrzeug auf ausreichende Entfernung deutlich sichtbar macht.

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